


We are starlight.

by dearmelancholy



Series: To the remains of dust in our veins; we, too, could be eternal. [1]
Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: Drabble Collection, F/F, One Shot Collection, Tumblr Prompt, minifics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-05
Updated: 2016-02-28
Packaged: 2018-05-11 20:20:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 8,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5640598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dearmelancholy/pseuds/dearmelancholy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Sometimes you meet someone, and it’s so clear that the two of you, on some level belong together. As lovers, or as friends, or as family, or as something entirely different. You just work, whether you understand one another or you’re in love or you’re partners in crime. You meet these people throughout your life, out of nowhere, under the strangest circumstances, and they help you feel alive. I don’t know if that makes me believe in coincidence, or fate, or sheer blind luck, but it definitely makes me believe in something."</p><p>(A collection of Ann x Leslie drabbles, minifics and oneshots.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. So clear, so right.

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr prompt: "I can't let you do that." + "I just want this."

~

 

You’ve broken up with your boyfriend, and you’ve battled with getting over that and working to keep a campaign alive. The campaign is why you had to break up. But there is one bright spot amongst the mess. Ann, wonderful Ann. Unfortunately for you, because the world seems unfair way too often lately, while you’ve been leaning on your best friend to get you through everything, you’ve sort of developed funny feelings.

 

These feelings, feelings you thought were just you missing Ben but then maybe you two drank a little too much one night and when you woke up beside her in her bed after she wouldn’t let you drive home, perhaps you looked at her a little differently, or realized something that’s always sort of been there. And the realization that this could be just as big a scandal if it were to get out and you’re stuck thinking how could it get worse? Then you’re standing in front of him because he came to you telling you he can’t do it anymore, being away from you and all those feelings you thought would come rushing back if he were to come to you and say these things, they feel blurry and faded and you can’t make them out anymore and you’re finally forced to take some kind of action and work this out because there’s so much at stake and so many people could get hurt and you want to limit as much damage as you can. You tell him you’re sorry, but you need to be anywhere but here. There’s only one place you know you’ll always go and there she is when you show up at her doorstep after rushing over. You sit on her couch and you don’t say a word for a long time and you can sense she’s worried but she isn’t pushing you. She sits down beside you and rests a gentle, reassuring hand against your shoulder and that’s when you snap, bolting up and pacing in her living room as she looks back at you wide-eyed.

 

“Leslie,” you hear her mutter somewhere. You can’t focus, you don’t know where it’s coming from at this point. You finally stop your frantic pacing, frozen where you stand when your eyes meet hers, filled with so much concern and love and it all finally comes spilling out.

 

“Ben came to talk to me, he wanted to get back together, that he’ll do everything he can to make this work, us, the campaign. I told him I couldn’t do it.”

 

“That doesn’t make any sense, I thought…” Ann starts, but you cut her off quickly.

 

“I’m not in love with him anymore,” and when you hear the words come out of your mouth there’s an odd mixture of sadness and relief. Ann’s face twists up in a way that screams a million questions.

 

“Well, that’s… good? Bad?” Ann stammers.

 

“Everything’s bad, Ann, very bad. I may not be in love with Ben anymore but that doesn’t mean I’m not still in love.” You’ve never seen someone more confused in their life than Ann in this moment after she hears what you say.

 

“Then, who…?” and you just give her a look, a pained ‘please don’t make this any harder, don’t make me do this’ look and she looks back at you and her mouth forms into an oh and you whisper back oh.

 

“Leslie… what about, what about the campaign? Wouldn’t this hurt it just as much as sleeping with your boss? God, I can’t… you’ve worked so hard, you can’t give it up. I can’t let you do that.” She’s shaking her head, stammering.

 

You find yourself weighing the consequences right here right now and it’s in this moment when you look at her that you realize there is no blurriness, there is nothing faded in front of you like before. It’s clear and it could be your whole future, scandal be damned. Everyone likes a candidate with an interesting story, right? Probably not. There’s been worse things people have done, though.

 

You realize you’re crying, and you mutter quietly, “I just want this.” And you don’t know if she knows what you mean, her or the campaign, then she’s standing in front of you, cupping your face in her hands and pressing a kiss to your forehead and you start to believe she does understand, but this is Ann and who knows you or understands you better anyway. Your arms instinctively wrap around her waist and pull her closer.

 

You hear her whisper, “You have me, you always have.” Later she finally kisses you, after much discussion and you’ve never been more sure that things will find a way to work out, because everything amongst all the chaos, everything is still finally so clear, so right.


	2. Always as a team.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr prompt: "Wait a minute. Are you jealous?" + "I think I'm in love with and I'm terrified."

~

 

“That’s great, Les.” Ann tries to keep the bite out of her voice, but fails. Leslie has been going on and on for the past 15 minutes about her and Ben having some kind of interaction. Ever since they had to breakup due to the campaign, Leslie’s been a bit… well, obsessed is too harsh a word, but it’s been the only thing she’s talked about and Ann’s a little sick of it. For reasons she’s not really sure she wants to dwell on.

 

Leslie huffs, “You don’t sound that enthusiastic, Ann. This is a good sign!”

 

Ann pokes at the salad in front of her that was supposed to be her lunch, but it’s been more interesting to stab at it. “Yeah, I’m sure it is.”

 

Leslie looks at her for a long moment, eyes narrowed. “Is something wrong?”

 

Ann shrugs her shoulders, keeping her eyes on the salad and away from Leslie’s face. “Nothing’s wrong, I just think we could be, should be talking about other things, I haven’t seen you much due to the campaign and me working and when I do…” Ann sighs, shoving the salad away from her.

 

Leslie’s quiet for a while, lips pursed in the way Ann knows she’s thinking hard about something. “I figured you’d want to know what’s going on,”

 

“Yeah, I do, I just… am tired of hearing about him, and the same thing.”

 

Leslie freezes, then out of nowhere, “Wait a minute. Are you jealous?”

 

This time it’s Ann that freezes. She sits there for a while, ignoring the burning feeling in her cheeks and her stomach before quickly gathering her things, avoiding eye contact with Leslie and ignoring Leslie’s “Ann!” as she bolts out the door.

 

~

 

Ann was content with never getting out of her bed and pretending the pounding against her front door was just the pounding in her head. But she knows the person on the other side won’t give up, so she throws back the covers with a groan and climbs out of bed, heading for the door and opening it slowly. And of course, it is who she knew it was going to be.

 

“Ann.” Leslie says her name in a soft breath, a relieved smile on her face when she sees Ann on the other side of the door. Ann wants to close the door and pretend her heart didn’t jump at the look on Leslie’s face.

 

When Ann doesn’t move, Leslie shifts slightly and clears her throat, “Can I come in?”

 

Ann moves aside and Leslie steps past her and Ann notices she’s playing with her hands nervously. Ann takes a seat on the couch and despite how much she’d like to not be near Leslie while she works through what she’s feeling, she pats the spot next to her and Leslie smiles that smile Ann hasn’t realized until recently, is reserved just for her.

 

“I, uh, haven’t seen you in a while. I was worried you were upset with me.” Leslie says, and Ann sighs.

 

“I’m not upset with you. I’ve been busy, you’ve been busy…”

 

“That’s not what’s going on here, Ann, and you know it.”

 

Ann runs a hand through her hair, letting out a shaky breath and closing her eyes. She’s avoided Leslie for nearly two weeks now, thinking time away to clear her head would work, but it didn’t, she missed her and more than just missing a best friend and when it finally hit her what she was really feeling, well… she’d never been so relieved and terrified all at once. And despite her best efforts, she can’t keep it in any longer.

 

“I think I’m in love with you, and I’m terrified.” Ann says softly, looking down at her lap. She hears Leslie suck in a breath and the couch shift as she stands. Ann closes her eyes because she’s certain Leslie’s going to get up and walk out the door and she doesn’t want to watch. What she doesn’t expect is Leslie coming to crouch down on the floor in front of her, hands coming up to take Ann’s.

 

“Oh, sweet, sweet Ann Perkins, you have no reason to be terrified.” Leslie says, and her voice is strong, sure, and Ann’s eyes open as she lifts her head to find Leslie smiling up at her, thumb rubbing over the skin of her hand.

 

“Leslie…” Ann doesn’t have a chance to get anything else out before Leslie cuts her off.

 

“Being away from you, no matter how long or short, it made me realize what’s most important, and what’s been important for a long time.”

 

Ann pulls her hands away from Leslie’s then, cupping her face in her hands and scooting to the edge of the couch, Leslie moving up slightly to meet her half way and Ann smiles into their first kiss as she thinks they’ll probably always find a way to meet in the middle, in life, in work, always as a team


	3. But your eyes stay shut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr prompt: "You need to wake up because I can't do this without you."
> 
> (This one is one of the more depressing things I've ever done so if that's not your thing, you can skip.)

~

 

Leslie has seen many ups and downs in her life, it’s all apart of the career she loves so much. But never in her wildest dreams did she think this would happen. She’s sitting in a crappy hospital chair, the beeping of the monitors in the background, with Ann beside her. Only she’s not listening to Ann’s crazy late night shift stories or sharing a terrible snack from hospital cafeteria, no.

 

Ann’s the one in the bed, eyes closed and unmoving. It was never supposed to happen, especially not to Ann. Leslie has a sudden urge to once again ban all alcohol and scream at people who get behind the wheel when they have too much. Ann was supposed to come home one week ago, have dinner with Leslie and curl up in bed together. Leslie shakes her head, sniffling slightly as she scoots her chair closer to the bed, taking Ann’s hand in hers and holding on for dear life.

 

“You need to wake up, because I can’t do this without you,” Leslie says, her vision just a little blurry as the tears come.

 

“I can’t stand the thought of you no longer by my side. I need you to keep fighting so you can open your eyes and I can see the way they light up when you smile…” Leslie trails off, dipping her head to kiss Ann’s hand, murmuring softly against it.

 

“I love you. Please hang in there, you miraculous little warrior.” And if Leslie falls asleep with her hand still gripping Ann’s and her head resting at her side, nobody dares try to wake her and move her from Ann’s side.


	4. You always had a different look for me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr prompt: "I've seen the way you look at me when you think I don't notice."

~

 

Ann’s no stranger to people looking at her, from the sleazy guys who think they’ll get lucky to the patients at the hospital. But nobody has ever really looked at her the way Leslie Knope has. From the moment Leslie looked at her when they met and every moment since, it’s always been different than any look from anyone else. And Ann, as smart as she’d like to think she is, didn’t realize until one night when they’re walking back to Ann’s house together, (okay more like stumbling after one too many drinks,) just exactly what those looks are.

 

Leslie’s going on about how Ann totally should’ve danced with the guy that was totally checking her out and ends up tripping over nothing at all and Ann grabs her arm, pulling her upright and close to her. Leslie flashes her a lopsided grin and one of Those Looks and a slurred ‘my hero’ comes out and Ann just stares like, oh. Oh.

 

“Anyway, as I was saying, you should’ve gone for it, I saw the way he was looking at you.”

 

Something clicks in Ann’s mind right then and there. “I’ve seen the way you look at me when you think I don’t notice.”

 

Leslie, for lack of a better word, looks stricken. Her face scrunches up in a way that screams ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about’ and Ann thinks she’s gonna try running away so she brings a hand up to brush the hair away from Leslie’s face and leans forward, pressing a kiss to Leslie’s forehead.

 

“I like the way you look at me better, anyway,” and Leslie actually giggles, slipping an arm around Ann’s waist as they carefully continue their walk back.


	5. Go big or go home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr prompt: "Tell me a secret."

~

 

The two of them are lying in bed together, Leslie too tired to attempt moving and going home, Ann too tired and content to think about telling Leslie she should head home. They’ve been going over Leslie’s latest project idea, well, more Leslie talking at full speed and Ann just trying to keep up. But Leslie, finally losing steam collapsed against the soft pillows, tucking her hand under her head and looking up at Ann, who’s currently reorganizing the scattered papers in her bed.

 

“Ann?” Leslie mumbles.

 

“Mhm?” Ann mumbles back, putting the stack of papers on her bedside table. Leslie shifts slightly to allow Ann room to pull back the covers and lie down next to her.

 

“Tell me a secret.” She’s not exactly sure where it came from or why she asked, but the look on Ann’s face is almost worth it. She looks caught off guard and her nose scrunches up in question at Leslie’s random request.

 

“Uh,” Ann stammers, eyes looking off in another direction as she thinks, “I once joined the cheerleading squad in high school because I wanted to fit in and wear the cool uniforms.”

 

Leslie snorts in response to that, shaking her head. “As great as you probably looked, you can do better. Give me a good one.”

 

Ann shakes her head, tucking her head under her hand and matching Leslie as she settles comfortably in bed. “No, you tell me a secret.” It feels like high school suddenly.

 

“I once kissed a girl in college,” Leslie blurts out, pretty sure she’d never told Ann that one. Ann just stares at her for a long time, before clearing her throat. Go big or go home. She’s already home, whatever. She’ll blame Leslie later for bringing up kissing, and kissing girls if this goes south.

 

“Okay, umm… I, uh… always wondered what it would be like if we, you know… if we kissed.”

 

Leslie just grins, and Ann absolutely feels like she’s in high school again because she actually has butterflies in her stomach and Leslie’s scooting a little closer, closer…

 

“I think we should find out,” Leslie whispers. And the kiss? Way better than any high school kiss. Way better than any kiss ever, actually.


	6. The flu and I love you's.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr prompt: Leslie drugged up on flu medicine telling Ann she loves her.

~

 

Ann’s used to sick people, used to crying kids and adults yelling at her thinking they know how to do her job better than her. What she wasn’t used to, was how to handle a flu ridden Leslie, drugged up on the flu medicine that’s supposed to make her feel better.

 

Leslie’s a ball of energy that never seems to stop rolling when she’s healthy, so naturally she would be aiming to show she can still get as much done even when she’s sick. It’s almost admirable, but still not okay in Ann’s book. It’s been a battle to say the least, keeping Leslie in bed, keeping her from leaving or doing work and making work related calls. Ann had given Leslie her dose of medicine a little while ago, and she’s perched at the nurses station going over other patients charts when her pager beeps, alerting her that she’s got a call waiting for her, which she takes quickly.

 

“This is Ann Perkins.”

 

One of the other nurses on shift with her can be heard on the other end, “Your patient downstairs is asking for you.”

 

Ann doesn’t even have to ask to know which patient it is. Sighing, she mumbles into the phone, “Tell her I’ll be right down, and that she needs to stay put.”

 

“Uh, okay…” comes the voice of the other nurse. Ann ignores the question and confusion in her voice and hangs up, making her way to the elevators and tapping her foot as she waits for the doors to open up again. When they do, she steps out and quickly makes her way to the room Leslie’s in, opening the door and finding an unmoving Leslie curled up on her side.

 

“You needed me?” She asks softly, and Leslie’s head tilts up slightly to look at her, a small smile on her pale face.

 

“Oh, Ann, thank god. Some nurse came in and tried to shove a needle down my throat and…”

 

Ann quickly interrupts her, “Les, that was me earlier, and it wasn’t a needle, I was checking your temperature to see if the medicine was helping at all.”

 

Leslie’s face scrunches up suddenly in confusion before she sits up, pointing at Ann and narrowing her eyes. “How do I know you’re Ann? You could be someone else.”

 

Ann wants to bang her head against the nearest wall, or laugh until it hurts and she’s crying. She does neither, though. Stepping over to the bedside, she grabs an extra pillow sitting on the chair and tucks it behind Leslie, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and helping her lie back down.

 

“Come on, you need to stop fighting the medicine and rest. You’ll feel better sooner if you do.”

 

Leslie smiles up at her, a goofy smile Ann’s just going to blame on the medicine in her system. Before Ann can step away, Leslie reaches over and takes Ann’s hand in hers, her thumb caressing over Ann’s skin.

 

“Sweet, beautiful Ann, thank you for taking care of me.”

 

Ann just chuckles quietly, looking down at Leslie with her brow arched, asking her teasingly, “Oh, so I actually am Ann again?”

 

Leslie nods enthusiastically, that goofy smile on her face somehow sillier and larger. “You’re Ann. Wonderful Ann. My Ann.”

 

Ann’s suddenly wishing she had medicine in her system to blame for the hot flush of her cheeks that occurs thanks to Leslie’s words.

 

“I love you.” Leslie mumbles quietly, her eyelids fluttering slowly as if she’s fighting off sleep. Ann just nods, giving Leslie’s hand a squeeze.

 

“Love you too, Les, I’ll be back later to che–”

 

“No, Ann… I love you.” She sounds panicked, her eyes now alert and suddenly no trace of needing sleep in them, her grip on Ann’s hand is tighter.

 

“Uh…” is all Ann is able to get out, she’s sure her own eyes are wide and questioning at this point. Deciding Leslie probably just needs to sleep, and the medicine might finally really be kicking in, she removes her hand from Leslie’s grip and stands there for a moment before she gets any words out.

 

Leslie adds, her words just a mumble now, her eyes still serious though. “I love you a lot, kind, lovely Ann… I might be in love with you.”

 

“Alright. I love you, too. I’ll… check on you later. Get some sleep, okay?”

 

Ann’s not sure why it sucks so much to see Leslie look so dejected, slumping down in bed without another word. Or why she looks so dejected to begin with, but she tries not to think about it for the rest of her shift, only kind of failing. It’s late, and the shift change comes with a busy report for the oncoming nurse. Ann’s just gathered her stuff from her locker, sitting on the bench in front of them thinking about Leslie and what she had said earlier. She’d be lying if she said she hadn’t thought about how much easier it’d be if she and Leslie loved each other, as more than friends, but she chalked it up to too much late night thinking and her typical reactions after breakups. She was going to change and head home, but she remembers she never actually did go back up and check on Leslie, so she elects to just slip on her jacket and gather up her stuff and head up there, the nurse who’d come in after her stopping her by the elevators.

 

“I thought you were heading home?”

 

“Yeah, I, uh… there’s someone I need to see.”

 

The nurse just nods in understanding, a small smile on her face as she turns back to her paperwork. When Ann steps into Leslie’s room, the lights are off and only the flashing of the tv illuminates the room. Leslie’s asleep, and Ann pulls up the chair by Leslie’s bed, sitting back and taking the rare moment she’s ever seen Leslie sleep to look at her, her features relaxed and her chest rising and falling. It’s then that Ann decides she’s gonna stay with Leslie tonight. She takes out her phone and texts the nurse on duty now.

 

**I’m gonna stay here tonight.**  
**Can you cover for me?**

 

She gets a quick ‘Sure thing. Go get her girl! x’ in response, and Ann is almost embarrassed, but with the amount of times Leslie visits Ann at the hospital, just to hangout or eat lunch or the times Ann’s said she’s running out to spend her lunch break at City Hall, I guess anyone would easily assume.

 

“Hey, what’re you doing here?” Ann all but jumps out of her skin when she hears the slurred, sleepy voice of Leslie beside her. There’s some color back in Leslie’s face, and she looks a little more rested than before. Ann shrugs, almost shy.

 

“I wanted to come check on you. I see the medicine helped a little bit.”

 

Leslie flashes her a lopsided grin as she nods. “I guess I have a good nurse who’s right about a lot of stuff.” Leslie tucks her hand under her head, propping it up a bit to look at Ann better. A silence Ann feels comfortable and somehow uncomfortable in all at once falls between them. Ann shifts a bit in her seat as she fiddles with her hands.

 

“Les… Do you remember anything from earlier? Anything you said?”

 

Leslie looks at her for a long moment, brows furrowed in a way that Ann knows well as Leslie’s thinking face. When Leslie’s face smooths over into an “oh” Ann suddenly feels like her stomach is in knots.

 

“I told another nurse that I loved her, thinking it was you.”

 

“What?”

 

Leslie tilts her head in confusion as Ann shakes her head, blurting out “Uh, no. That was actually me. You said it to me.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“Well.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Ann’s about to get up and leave and pretend this didn’t happen when Leslie suddenly bursts out laughing and Ann doesn’t quite know what could possibly be funny, and maybe the medicine hasn't quite worn off after all, but when Leslie looks back at her it suddenly hits Ann that she’d like to hear that sound all the time and maybe, just maybe, that silly little idea of Ann’s and them could work out and she finds herself speaking before she can stop herself, and Leslie talks right over her.

 

“Go out with me.”

 

“I do love _you_ , you know.”

 

“What?”

 

“Okay.”

 

Now it’s Ann who’s laughing, shaking her head for no particular reason as she looks back at Leslie. “I’ll count that one now that you aren’t drugged.”

 

That same goofy smile crosses Leslie’s face and Ann realizes it wasn’t the medicine earlier at all, but Leslie’s very own smile just for her. And suddenly the past 12 hours becomes Ann’s favorite hospital story in all the years she’s been working.


	7. The gift at the end of the tracks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meeting on a train ride AU.
> 
>  
> 
> (I’m going with Leslie having the job she has in s7 in this AU, because she would definitely travel more for it and Ann never left Indiana, but doesn’t live in Pawnee, instead in the city over, so they’ve never met before. And I’m going with Leslie has been single for a while and of course Ann isn’t with Chris. Hence, AU. Gotta love AUs sometimes. Okay, anyway, here we go.)

~

 

Ann Perkins scowled out of her window, watching as the trees and wildlife flitted by. She hated train rides, especially long ones, but her mother had been very insistent; she hadn’t seen Ann in far too long since she moved to Indiana.

 

Ann glanced down at her phone resting in her lap, checking the time. The train should’ve left a few minutes ago, and Ann tries not to be one of those people, but the sooner she gets to her destination the sooner she can get off the train.

 

Ann’s about to pull out her travel pillow and rest her head against the window when she hears the hurried, apologetic mumbles of a woman making her way down the aisle.

 

“Sorry, so sorry everyone!” The woman and Ann’s eyes both drop down to the empty seat next to Ann, and the woman’s face drops further in an apologetic manner as she carefully sits down, tucking her bag under the seat.

 

In a much lower voice, the woman turns to Ann, “I’m sorry you’re stuck with me after I held everyone up. I promise I won’t bother you.”

 

Ann doesn’t really know what to say, or if she’s sure she even wants to say anything. So she just smiles easily, which seems to satisfy the woman enough and she turns her attention to the phone in her hand, typing away furiously. When she’s finished, she lets out a huff and drops her head against the headrest, nervously bouncing her knee. When Ann turns her head, shooting her a ‘can you please stop’ look, the woman’s cheeks flush and she mumbles an apology again.

 

“Sorry. I’m not usually like this.” As if Ann would know, but she’s not going to comment on that. Instead, she sits up a little straighter, eyeing the woman. Business attire, business travel bag tucked under her seat and the phone hasn’t left her hand. So, Ann takes a not so wild guess.

 

“Work related chaos?” The woman simply grins at her, suddenly turning her full attention to Ann.

 

“Yes. Big conference happening over the weekend with a bunch of government bigwigs from different cities all fighting for the same money to build parks. Exciting stuff.”

 

Ann simply nods, but she doesn’t have time to get anything else out, anyway.

 

“How about you? What brings you on this train today?” The woman is still grinning, and it makes Ann’s lips quirk up, amused suddenly.

 

“You know, we could start with each others names, seeing as we’re going to be traveling together.”

 

The woman nods, extending her hand for Ann to shake. “Leslie.”

 

Ann takes her hand, giving a light shake as the smile on her face widens a bit. She has a feeling this woman, Leslie, has that effect on people. “Ann.”

 

“Nice to meet you, Ann. Why are you traveling?”

 

Ann lets out a snort of laughter at her abrupt approach to asking, giving a shake of her head as she collects herself.

 

“Visiting my mother, nothing too exciting.”

 

Leslie’s nose scrunches up as her smile widens, matching Ann’s from a moment ago. “I think that’s sweet.” And if Ann’s cheeks are suddenly flushed, it’s totally because this train cabin is a little too warm.

 

She and Leslie slip into easy conversation, and it’s been awhile since Ann has had such easy conversation with anyone. It feels like hours, when it’s really only been one, judging by their latest stop. She learns Leslie’s the head of the Midwest branch of the National Parks service, broke up with a serious boyfriend a little over two months ago (Ann’s not too sure how they got there, but in all honesty, she’s learning quickly to not be surprised; Leslie seems comfortable in talking to people, about anything,) and Ann finds herself sharing as well. She talks about her mom, how she’s actually from Michigan, and Leslie takes extreme interest in her nursing career. It makes Ann feel like she’s definitely doing something that matters for once. What Ann hadn’t been counting on, was Leslie’s reaction when she talked about her own recent failed relationship.

 

With a shake of her head, Leslie mutters quietly, “Well, whoever breaks up with you is surely missing out, I mean…” Leslie tries to subtly look Ann up and down, fails miserably and Ann feels hot all over. She can’t recall if she’s ever encountered an adult who made her feel like she did when she was a teenager. When Leslie’s phone buzzes with an incoming call and has to excuse herself to the dining cabin to take it, Ann sits quietly in her seat, unable to wipe the smile from her face. She’s had people tell her that before. Mostly guys thinking they could get lucky with a newly single woman, which, gross. But coming from Leslie it isn’t quite as annoying. Time passes, and a half hour becomes an hour, then two and Ann’s slipped into short naps here and there, but Leslie still wasn’t back yet. She’s starting to wonder if she made Leslie up, or it was a dream or something.

 

After another hour passes, Ann’s jolted from her longest nap when Leslie taps her on the shoulder. Ann sits up, wiping sleep from her eyes.

 

“Sorry, that took forever. And I didn’t want to wake you, but I’m afraid you’d miss your stop.”

 

Ann turns her head to look out the window, signs that the next stop isn’t too far away flashing by.

 

“Oh,” She feels a sudden mixture of relief and disappointment, relief about getting off the train, disappointment that she has to get off and leave Leslie. Leslie must sense it somehow, because she shifts in her seat, her hand reaching over and gently placing it against Ann’s arm.

 

“Listen, I don’t usually do this, but… Would you like to have dinner with me this weekend?”

 

Ann looks at her, nose scrunching up in confusion and stumbling around what she wants to say, before settling on, “Aren’t you working? Plus… we’re not going to the same place?”

 

Leslie just shrugs, “I’m only a couple towns away, and I have to eat sometime during the weekend, why not do it with you?” Leslie’s smiling now, and god help her, how could anyone resist it. So, Ann takes a chance on something crazy and wonderful for once, and with a smile on her face, nods her head yes to Leslie’s proposal.

 

“I would love to.”

 

Leslie adds her number to Ann’s phone quickly, Ann adds her own to Leslie’s and Leslie even helps her with her bags, and sees her off the train. It isn’t much longer after the train pulls away from the station, that she feels her phone buzz in her pocket then. Quickly reaching for it, she sees two messages. One from her mom, and one from Leslie.

 

 **Can’t wait to see you again.**  
**Thanks for keeping me company.**  
**P.S. I hope you like breakfast food and 24 hour diners over fancy dining.**  
**Seeing as that’s probably what we’ll end up doing.**

 

Ann looks up at the sky and laughs to herself. She couldn’t believe her luck.


	8. Smiles and ruined forms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr prompt: meeting in the E.R.

~

 

Sitting in the E.R. waiting room wasn’t exactly how Leslie wanted to spend her afternoon, but here she was anyway. It wasn’t really her fault. Maybe… sort of. But that’s the danger one can face when you go out into the field to do your job: you can get mauled by racoons. Leslie had insisted she was fine, but had been forced into this visit by all her co-workers.

 

“Knope, Leslie?” Is called from the door, a nurse in blue scrubs stands there holding a chart, apparently waiting for her.

 

“That’s me,” Leslie stands quickly, arms flailing a bit and regretting it almost immediately because okay, she’ll admit these scratches sting quite a bit. She follows the nurse through the doors and into one of the little patient care rooms, telling her to take a seat up on the bed and she’ll be with her in a few minutes. Leslie stares mindlessly at the wall in front of her for who knows how long. The thought of how much work she's not getting done by being here the only thing on her mind, really.

 

“Sorry about that, we’re a little understaffed today so it’s a bit slow, but I’ll be taking care of you,” The nurse says, reentering the room and stepping over to the supply cabinet and pulling down whatever it is she needs to treat Leslie’s wounds. Setting everything down on the wheelable tray and pulling up the stool to sit in front of Leslie, the nurse finally looks at her fully, an easy smile on her face. Leslie suddenly likes hospitals, and nurses are her favorite people, and thoughts of work are long gone.

 

“So, what exactly happened here?” The nurse asks, and before Leslie responds her eyes drop down to the I.D. badge clipped to her scrubs, seeing that her name is Ann. Ann Perkins. It’s suddenly her favorite name.

 

“I, uh…” Leslie pauses, clearing her throat. _Get it together Knope._ “Raccoons, you know how they are in this town.”

 

Ann nods, chuckling. It’s a deep sound, but it’s sweet, reassuring. Ann reaches for the rubbing alcohol and twists off the cap, pouring some into the metal bowl resting on the tray. Grabbing a cotton ball, she dabs it slightly and turns back to Leslie.

 

“This’ll sting a bit, but I promise it’ll be better than those cuts right now.” Ann dabs lightly at the cuts covering Leslie’s right hand and wrist, and Leslie only jumps a bit at the sting. She moves up Leslie’s arm a bit, and Leslie’s suddenly aware of just how bad those stupid things got her. In the moment it didn’t feel that bad. There’s probably some kid walking around the city with video on their phone of the incident, Leslie thinks. Oh well.

 

Ann continues cleaning the cuts quietly, but Leslie wants to talk to her, not sit here in silence, but she isn’t exactly sure what to say. And the freckles peppering Ann’s nose suddenly have her attention and she’s certain she’s never seen anything cuter on a fully grown adult. And overall, Ann’s beautiful. Simply stunning. Before she can stop herself, naturally, her very thoughts come tumbling past her lips.

 

“You’re very beautiful.” Ann looks up at her then, a little grin making its way across her face.

 

“And I didn’t even have to give you any pain killers to get such out of the blue compliments,” Ann says, and it takes a second for Leslie to realize she’s messing with her. Ann just laughs, shaking her head before turning back to the tray, grabbing gauze and bandages, unwrapping each and carefully placing them over Leslie’s cuts, the gauze and bandages wrapping around the slightly bigger ones, and small bandages for the smaller cuts. When she’s done, Ann eyes her work before standing, grabbing the chart she had been carrying earlier and heads for the door.

 

“You’re all set here. I’ll be back in minute to sign you out.”

 

Leslie nods, watching Ann as she leaves the room. She slumps slightly in her place atop the bed, certain she probably seemed like one of _those people_ , because certainly Ann’s had her fair share of people trying to hit on her. Which she wasn’t! Totally wasn’t! Except now she kind of wants to, and take Ann out for lunch or something. And go get her revenge on those racoons with her.

 

When Ann enters the room once more, she sits back down in front of Leslie and hands her the clipboard and a pen, which Leslie takes carefully and signs all the indicated places quickly.

 

“And sign here at the bottom, please.” Ann points to the bottom of the paper, and Leslie’s lips turn up into an amused grin, because written at the bottom is as follows:

 

_So, I have a break soon._  
_Would you be interested in joining me for coffee?_  
_Sign here with **YES** , or here with **NO**._

 

Leslie looks up, and Ann is just flashing her the biggest shit eating grin she’s ever seen.

 

“Aren’t you going to get in trouble for messing up this form?” Leslie asks, and Ann gives a shrug of her shoulders.

 

“I have an un-ruined one beneath that one.”

 

Leslie laughs, really laughs at that, and signs next to the _**YES**_.

 

After she’s signed the actual paperwork, Ann walks with her back out to the waiting room, telling Leslie she needs to grab her jacket and purse before they head out. Leslie hasn’t stopped smiling, and she’s pretty sure Ann hasn’t either as she watches Ann walk back through the doors, catching her turning around a moment to look back at Leslie, and yes, there’s that smile.

 

Leslie’s officially decided the hospital is her new favorite place, because she’s probably just met her new favorite person here.


	9. Toast is so much better with butter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is silly fluff that came about because jell-o-shot made a typo. Literally, that’s it. I said I’d read a fic about Ann and Leslie eating toast just because it’s Ann and Leslie, and she said you should write a fic of them being toast instead of eating. I also started this at 6am because she asked me to do it and I’m just sleep deprived and delirious enough to do it. So, here we go.

//\\\

 

It’s a week before Halloween, and Ann’s pretty bummed. Leslie knows this not because they’re so close, but because it’s so painfully obvious. Obvious enough for everyone else to notice. Leslie can’t really blame her, she’s been working many long, tough shifts at the hospital, while also still managing to keep her job at city hall in the health department. Leslie’s pretty proud of her, honestly. But that’s beside the point. Ann, sad, that’s the point. And Leslie wants to change that. So, Leslie takes her out for breakfast one morning before a shift to try and make operation Cheer Up Ann a success.

 

“I probably won’t be able to find the time to go shopping and find a good costume, let alone make one.” Ann says. Leslie pouts in response.

 

Ann looks exhausted, but in a beautiful way. She wants to tell Ann she’s the only person in the world who could possibly pull off the bags under her eyes look and still look good. Ann will probably just give her that look she always gives when Leslie spouts off random complicated compliments. Leslie likes that look, too.

 

Leslie sighs, sitting forward and resting her arms against the top of the table. “We can pull something off, I promise. And we’ll have a lot of fun.”

 

Ann shrugs, eyes dropping to the toast she’s been picking at for the past several minutes, and Leslie’s wondering what could possibly be so interesting about the toast, when suddenly Ann starts laughing, holding the piece of toast up to Leslie.

 

“This toast looks weird, look at it.” Leslie’s worried for Ann’s sanity at this point. It looks normal to her. It also reminds her briefly of the time Ann was weirdly captivated by the cherry scented magic marker. Maybe Leslie should somehow change Ann’s work schedule so she gets a bunch of time off. She’d probably get her trouble. Leslie isn’t exactly the voice of reason for time off, either. But anyway, Ann’s smiling and it’s so bright and it reaches her eyes and Leslie wants to look at the light in those eyes forever.

 

Ann giggles, actually giggles, still looking at the toast, “This would probably look better with butter on it.” 

 

Leslie just smiles and pulls out her phone, snapping a quick sneaky picture of Ann looking at the toast, smile still so bright. If she makes it her phone wallpaper, well. Could you really blame her? Also, it’s mostly to remember what the toast looks like. Absolutely.

 

//\\\

 

When Halloween does arrive, Leslie’s sitting in Ann’s living room as Ann semi sleepily makes coffee in the kitchen to help wake herself up after a nap, having worked a night shift. When she comes and joins Leslie on the couch, she nods in the direction of the bags Leslie’s brought with her.

 

“What’s all that?” She asks, and Leslie smiles. Final step in operation Cheer Ann Up, here we go.

 

“Well, I know how bummed you’ve been with how much you’ve been working lately, and don’t even try to pretend you aren’t I have so many texts from you that range from, ‘I’m quitting!’ to ‘Please save me!’ and ‘I miss you.’” The last one makes Leslie’s heart beat quicker now, just as it did the first time she read it. Ann just frowns, so Leslie continues, reaching for one of the bags.

 

“Anyway, I stayed up all night the other night coming up with the perfect idea for costumes, and I think I outdid myself this year.” 

 

She pulls the costume from the bag, standing and holding it up in front of herself, and Ann just stares at her.

 

After a moment, she says, “Toast. It’s a piece of toast, Les.”

 

Leslie’s smile is somehow wider now. “I know! Isn’t it hilarious, I thought it was hilarious.”

 

Ann stares blankly for a moment longer before something clicks, and a grin tugs at the corner of her lips, and Leslie thinks success is just as sweet as that grin.

 

“I’m still not sure why that toast was so funny to you, but all I could think of was how silly would it be to have you dressed up as that toast.” Leslie doesn’t add how much it made her stomach flip and flutter over Ann freaking out over toast.

 

Ann sets her coffee down on the coffee table, standing and wrapping her arms around Leslie’s neck, pulling her in close. Leslie lets go of the costume, arms immediately and instinctively wrapping around Ann’s waist.

 

“Thank you,” Ann whispers, face buried in her neck. “Thank you for being you, and bringing something so ridiculous to life.”

 

Leslie’s stomach is doing that funny flipping and fluttering thing again. Ann pulls back from the hug after a moment, looking down at the second bag and then back up at Leslie.

 

“What are you dressing up as?” She asks.

 

Leslie tilts her head, smiling at Ann fondly. “Butter. Because toast is so much better with butter, and I would love to be the butter to your toast.”

 

Ann kisses her this time, and it’s so soft, and Leslie’s pretty sure she’s melting (she’ll make a melting butter on toast joke later, she promises herself) and she’s definitely sure she’s never enjoyed accomplishing one of her many hair brained ideas more in her life.


	10. Ann Perkins has a problem. A great, terrible, wonderful problem.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> prompt: Ann is anxious about coming out to Leslie until Leslie mashes their faces together and it's mad awesome.
> 
> (let's say this is mid, nearing late season three.)

Ann's known for a while, at least on some level that she wasn't exactly... well, straight. There was that giant crush she had on the head cheerleader at her school, which she tried to brush off as jealousy because she wanted to be that cool or popular, some bullshit like that. There was also that roommate in college she used to make out with some nights when they were bored, and finally, the woman she dated in nursing school.

 

And the problem isn't that she's interested in women, it's the fact that she lives in a town with people who get mad about the dumbest, smallest things. She already gets looks and questions about her ethnicity, she doesn't really want this on top of that. Honestly though, it's getting kind of exhausting thinking about it and if it weren't for the crush that started a couple of years ago not going away, she thinks maybe it wouldn't be occupying her thoughts as much. Yes, one Ann Perkins has had a crush on the same person, one government employee, named Leslie Knope.

 

Except, she also happens to be her best friend, and maybe only true friend she's had in ages. So, basically, Ann feels trapped.

 

Until one night when she decided to join Tom and Donna, of all people, for drinks and Tom blurts out that Leslie had told him once that she kissed a girl in college. Ann nearly choked on her drink because it was a bit random, but mostly because, well, Leslie... kissing girls. It somehow gives her enough confidence to tell her. She figures it can't be worse than drunkenly telling Tom or Donna. Which she thankfully didn't do.

 

It's a few days after learning the Leslie Kissing A Girl Thing, and she's taking a walk with Leslie through Ramsett park in the early morning, having just come off a night shift filled with energy and not quite ready to go home and sleep. Leslie had, unsurprisingly, answered her text quickly and drove over to meet her. Leslie's got her arm looped through Ann's and she's telling her how much she likes her in her blue scrubs over any of the others. The sun is shining on her hair, her eyes are bright, and Ann freezes, deciding now is somehow the perfect moment to confess the biggest truth about herself.

 

"Hey, you okay?" Leslie asks when she's pulled to a stop due to Ann's sudden lack of movement.

 

"Uh, yeah. No, I, umm... I need to tell you something." She's stammering and she's suddenly less sure of herself than she was only seconds ago. Leslie's looking at her though like she's ready for anything Ann tosses her way. It makes Ann's heart beat faster. She decides, in much the same fashion as the woman standing in front of her, to go all in, honest and strong.

 

"I've been with women, have been into women, and..." She trails off, face scrunching up because well, it didn't sound as good as she wanted it to. There's probably no perfect way to come out anyway, she thinks.

 

Leslie blinks a couple times, before narrowing her eyes at her and asking plainly, "Are you coming out to me, Ann?"

 

Ann's face drops, looking away. "I guess... yeah. That's what's happening."

 

Leslie moves quickly on. "Rumor around City Hall has been that Ann Meredith Perkins, has a crush on a lady in town. I didn't want to believe it, obviously, unless it came from you," Leslie pauses, and Ann hasn't looked back at her, but she swears she hears a smile in her voice, "but now that I know this..."

 

She doesn't finish that sentence and Ann thinks she expects her to finish it for her, but that only lasts a second before Leslie's hands are on her cheeks, tilting Ann's head just right and has her lips on hers in a kiss that's so perfectly Leslie, wild and all over the place, with just the right amount of care and passion. It causes Ann to stumble back a bit, Leslie falling into her and Ann wraps her arms around Leslie's waist to hold her upright, and bring her closer. They stay locked together, lips and tongues exploring and learning and Ann swears it's the best first kiss, or any kiss she's experienced in her life. When oxygen finally becomes important again, Ann pulls away first, both of their arms dropping to their sides but they remain standing close to each other.

 

"I always knew you'd be a great kisser," her voice is breathy, and Ann, God help her, feels like she might not be able to stay upright much longer. She manages to string a thought and some words together, though.

 

"Where'd you hear about the... crush, anyway?"

 

"Watercooler talk, courtyard chatter, 'That new lady has always been hanging around the women here,' and 'I think she likes one of them' You know, that sort of thing."

 

Ann suddenly has a headache and mumbles, "Figures."

 

"I'll give them a stern talking to for you. The point is, whoever this crush is, is gonna be one lucky lady."

 

Ann sighs, frustrated and just blurts out, "She already is. I mean, we've already kissed." Leslie lets out a small 'oh' and Ann continues quickly, realizing what she's said, "I mean us, you. She's you, Les."

 

Leslie lets out another 'oh' followed by a more enunciated _oh_ and Ann thinks she's broken before she manages a real sentence. "Part of me was kind of hoping. That's a lie, all of me was really hoping."

 

"I figured you were still into Ben, so I just... didn't say anything. Plus, how do you just casually start talking about this." Ann says softly, shyly.

 

Leslie tilts her head, taking a step and closing the small remaining space between them, arms winding around her neck and fingers threading through her hair at the base of her neck. "You know you can trust me with anything, always," she pauses, adding quietly, "And anyone over you, Ann Perkins? No way."

 

She grins then, mumbling lamely as her arms wind around Leslie's waist again, "Lucky lady indeed." She wonders if she's ever been smooth, or cool. Like she's read her mind though, Leslie whispers, 'Smooth, Perkins' and she's grinning back at her, leaning in for another kiss.

 

Smooth and cool in Leslie's book is more than good enough for her.


End file.
